Is your team set up to do their best work, or are they left figuring things out as they go?

Every week in Calm the Chaos, I share practical tips, real stories, and simple tech tools to help you build a practice where patients and staff feel supported and confident. This week, let’s talk about the power of written policies and SOPs. When expectations are clear, your team knows what to do and your practice runs more smoothly.

STORY TIME:

How a Family Medicine Practice Found Calm with Clear Systems

BEFORE THE FIX

At a growing family medicine practice, each staff member had their own way of checking in patients, verifying insurance, and uploading results. It wasn’t that they didn’t care, they just didn’t have a consistent process. Managers spent hours answering the same questions. New hires felt lost. Patients waited too long or left with missing information. The same issues kept happening again and again.

THE SHIFT

The leadership team decided it was time to document their processes. They created a shared manual using Google Docs and organized it in Drive folders. Every routine task, from intake to chart reviews, had clear, step-by-step instructions. Staff were trained to use the manual and encouraged to suggest improvements when something changed.

THE RESULTS

Team members had answers without needing to ask a manager. New staff felt supported from the start. Managers had more time to coach rather than troubleshoot. Patient feedback improved. The clinic became more organized and easier to manage.

TAKEAWAY

When your team has clear instructions and easy access to them, they feel more confident. Patients notice the difference, too.

ACTIONABLE TIPS FOR THE WEEK:

How to Build a Policy-Driven Practice

🟠 Start Small: Choose one routine task. Write down each step. Ask your team where things usually break down.

🟠 Make It Easy to Find: Store your SOPs in a shared folder with clear names and simple navigation.

🟠 Use Scripts for Patient Touchpoints: For common situations like scheduling, payment reminders, or follow-ups, use simple scripts or templates to keep communication clear and consistent.

🟠 Review and Update Regularly: Before finalizing a policy, get feedback from the people who use it. Review your SOPs monthly and update them as your systems evolve.

🟠 Celebrate What Works: When someone follows a process well or improves a system, highlight it during your next huddle. Small wins matter.

Micro-Challenge:

Pick one process that caused confusion last month. Write a quick SOP with your team and try it out this week. Share it in your next huddle and ask for feedback. If it helps, reply to this email and let me know how it went. I read every message.

TANIA'S TECH TIPS:

Tool Highlight: Google Workspace for Clarity and Consistency

✅ Google Docs: Write and share step-by-step guides your team can access anytime

✅ Google Drive: Store SOPs in one shared folder with clear labels

✅ Google Sheets: Track recurring tasks or review cycles

✅ Google Forms: Collect team feedback on what’s working and what needs adjusting

💡 Pro tip: Assign someone to check the SOP folder once a month. They can gather suggestions and help keep everything up to date.

WHAT I’M READING:

Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller

This book is a reminder that clarity builds connection. When your team knows what is expected and why it matters, they show up more focused and better equipped to support patients.

SMALL CHANGES, BIG RESULTS

Ready to bring more calm to your practice with clear policies and confident staff? Clear systems don’t just reduce mistakes, they make your whole practice run smoother.

If you want practical tools and real-world strategies to take your next step, join me live on July 17 for my next masterclass: How to Hire Your First Virtual Assistant: Cut Admin Costs, Boost Patient Care.

REGISTER FOR THE MASTERCLASS

In just one hour, you’ll learn how to set up clear roles and simple processes, find, vet, and lead a Virtual Assistant, and take your time back so you can focus on patients, not headaches.

P.S. Will you be at the APMA National in Grapevine, Texas? I’ll be there! Stop by Booth 825 to say hello, pick up your VIP gift bag, including a copy of my book Medical Practice Makeover: 21 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Achieve Excellence.